Mayor de Blasio is in the hot seat for his pricey escapades outside of the city. While the mayor has only been in office for 16 months, he has been spending a great deal of time campaigning on economic inequality in other states— with some arguing the mayor is acting more like a candidate than a sitting official. Mr. de Blasio will have spent a third of April and May traveling outside of New York, hitting the road on political trips, a vacation to Puerto Rico and college visits for his son, Dante. (New York Times)
TV personality and chef Sandra Lee, also known widely as Governor Cuomo’s longtime girlfriend, revealed today that she was diagnosed with breast cancer in March. During an interview with GMA’s Robin Roberts, the 48-year-old lifestyle guru explained that she caught the cancer early, but will need to undergo a double mastectomy. Governor Cuomo expressed in a statement that he expects to take some personal time to support Sandy as she recovers. (DNA Info)
A recent spate of nighttime muggings in Central Park has the NYPD on high alert and the department has stepped up police patrols in the park. At night, there will now be more scooter cops and police cars with lights to help prevent further criminal acts. NYPD Commissioner Bill Braton insists that Central Park is still “one of the safest places in America,” but with warm weather, New Yorkers are wise to keep their guard up. (Gothamist)
New York’s favorite shark is already hitting the beaches of Long Island. Mary Lee has been spotted scoping out the city’s coast and the 16-foot-long, 3,500 pound beauty has has garnered some 35,000 followers on Twitter. (New York Post)
The NYPD announced the passing of Gertrude Schimmel, the first female sergeant of the NYPD. The Bronx-born retired police chief was 96-years-old and died from natural causes on Monday. She leaves behind a proud legacy of trailblazing, beginning in 1940 when she became one of the first women to join the Police Academy, serving for over 40 years. In 1961, Ms. Schimmel sued the NYPD for the right to sit for the promotional civil service exams and in 1967 was elevated to captain, paving the way for future female superior officers. (Daily News)
